The CEO of the Italian team postpones the renewal of its pilots until after the summer after flattering the young Spanish pilot
After his outstanding performance in Canada, where Ferrari Demonstrating one of the best paces in the race, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc arrive at the Red Bull Ring with the intention of achieving the Scuderia’s first victory in 2023. It is well known that the Austrian circuit has traditionally been favorable for Ferrari, and now they arrive equipped with a new floor that was tested by Sainz in Fiorano. The good results from Carlos Sainz have led to praise from Vasseur.
This advancement could give them the extra manageability they have been looking for since the beginning of the season. Thus, Sainz has proven to be an essential pillar for Ferrari, occupying third place in the middle starting position with an average of 4.5 in the eight qualifications held in 2023. His effort, consistency and effective communication with the engineers have not gone unnoticed by the new CEO of the team, Fred Vasseur, who took over the post in January following the departure of Mattia Binotto.
Vasseur’s assessment of Sainz
Vasseur, in a recent interview with Danielle Sparisci for ‘Corriere della Sera’, expressed his satisfaction with Sainz’s performance. Despite not having signed him, Vasseur praised Sainz’s consistency and the importance of his technical contributions. “I am satisfied with Carlos. With Charles he forms a winning couple. I think (Sainz) is very undervalued,” he said.
asked about the contractual renewals of Sainz and Leclerc, which expire at the end of 2024, Vasseur revealed that although representatives for both drivers have raised the matter with him, he does not view renewal as a priority at this time. “The priority is for the drivers to work together to develop the car,” he declared, noting that talks on the renewals would start later, probably in August.
Vehicle development a priority focus
On possible improvements to the vehicle, Vasseur was optimistic, despite some setbacks experienced in the early races of the season. He highlighted the progress made since the first race, saying: “In Canada we were able to move forward. We were clear from the first day what was happening to this car, that it was fast in qualifying, just one lap, but difficult to drive in the race”.
Looking to the future, Vasseur hopes the upcoming races will be a more accurate indicator. the true potential of the team. “Austria is the opposite of Canada. If we also do it well, we will have confirmation that we have taken the right path, ”he said. In this way the team focuses on its next race in the Austrian GP.
